Feminism the Every Day

In my recent engagement with mass media, I’ve encountered a large focus on feminism, most notable Emma Watson’s life changing speech at the U.N. These interactions have provided me with an awakening into the topic.

To be completely honest, it’s not something that I’ve felt passionately about although being a woman, I most definitely should. And after having read a few articles and watching Emma’s speech, I realized that it was something I felt strongly about and I wanted to do something. But first I needed to understand, what does feminism mean to me, what impact can it have on my life, and what can I do to ensure that I’m doing what’s best for the feminist cause?

So I figured I should probably understand what feminism actually means first. I have a pretty good idea but better off not to make assumptions on something so significant. So I went to a trusted source. According to the Oxford Dictionary, feminism is, “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of the equality of the sexes.” Seems pretty straightforward and I was relieved to find that my assumptions were pretty much spot on.

While the definition seemed very clear, as I started to read more and more about the topic, I realized that feminism isn’t just about standing up for the larger idea of women’s rights, it’s about standing up for your own rights as a woman as well. Standing firm on your beliefs and ideals and not letting anyone else bring you down. Come to find out, most of the women that I admire fit this feministic ideal. They won’t back down and never let the fact that they are a woman stand in their way of achieving their personal goals.

This research helped me to understand how to embrace feminism in my own life. The reality is, it doesn’t mean dropping everything and burning your bra in front of Parliament House. It’s about standing by your beliefs and making simple mind shifts, including:

- Stop Defining Roles by Gender: I’m just as capable of mowing the lawn as my husband, just as he is capable in cleaning the bathroom.
- Stop Using & Accepting Stereotypes: I’ve brushed off comments in the past such as, “Must be her time of the month” but these are offensive and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
- Participate in Organizations and read literature that is empowering and develops to my personal values and goals. Avoid anything that negatively impacts my sense of self and well-being.
- Embrace Who You Are: Don’t let outside forces, particularly the news and entertainment media, affect your core values and beliefs. Don’t like anyone try and change who you are.
- Love Yourself & Your Body: Just as you are, not thinner or younger.


#_Feminism
#_Genderequality
#_Senseofself

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